Upper Dublin Bullying Project Debuts at Act II Playhouse

“The Upper Dublin Bullying Project” will be shown at the Act II Playhouse, April 12, starting at 8 p.m.

According to an article on Upper Dublin Patch, the piece explores bullying through interviews with members of the school district community, including teachers, parents and their friends:

“Those interviewed were a teacher who recalled a student committing suicide, a fellow student describing the experience of being bullied by a group of girls, and a guidance councilor offering advice.”

Eighteen Upper Dublin High School honor theater students of Debbie Thompson’s Theatre 1 class conducted the interviews and will perform.

“The play is open to the public, because the message is very universal and powerful,” Thompson said in an e-mail. “Bullying exists everyday on many different levels and that ‘we’ should all be considerate and kind and think before ‘we’ do something harsh (or inconsiderate) that will affect other individuals.”

Thompson also points out that most involved with the project are freshman.

She said that the project has helped her students understand that no one is alone, and would cause action within them, should they see bullying occur.

According to Thompson, the play is written using the same interview-style techniques as “The Laramie Project,” which has been a collaborative effort between Upper Dublin High School and Bill D’Agostino, education director at the Act II playhouse, who compiled the interviews into a script. She added that D’Agostino frequented her class as a guest artist through the process.

Directing the play is Caroline Blaisi, a student-teacher from Arcadia University, majoring in English with a background in Theater.

Heading to “The Upper Dublin Bullying Project”?

• When: April 12, starting at 8 p.m.

• Where: Act II Playhouse, located at 56 E. Butler Ave. in Ambler

• Admission: Tickets cost $5.

For more information, visit www.act2.org, calling 215-654-0200 or visiting the Act II Playhouse box office.